Life-saving attachment for submarines



0ct 14, 1930. D. SHERMAN 1,778,569

LIFE SAVING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMARINES 3 Sh eetsSheet l Filed May 1, 1928 In ventar jam/w Sizer/23am M B QMM M V Oct. 14, 1930. D. SHERMAN LIFE SAVING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMARINES Filed May 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Shet 2 Inventor Azzarney Oct. 14, 1930. v D. SHERMAN 1,778,569

LIFE SAVING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMARINES Filed May 1, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 In 'uenzor ,iaazze Jhezwmaa M Patented Oct. 14, 1930 PATENT OFFICE DUANE SHERMAN, POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK LIFE-SAVING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMARINES Application filed Kay 1, 1928. Serial 1T0, 274,247.

The present invention relates to life saving attachments for submarines and similar vessels and has for its primary object to provide a vessel of this character with a detach- 5 able and auxiliary air tight compartment that may be released from the main vessel while the same is in a submerged condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a life saving attachment of this character that may be advantageously used in connection with submarines or other-vessels, said attachment being arranged in the vessel in a manner for easily and quickly releasing the same by the occupant thereof so that the attachment may then rise to the surface of the water. a

An additional object is to provide belt self propelling means for the releasable life sav-. ing attachment whereby to enable the same to be driven under its own power after the-same reaches the surface of the water.

A still further object 'is to rovide an attachment of this character 0 a simple and practical construction, which is capable of being used as one of the compartments of the boat during its ordinary use, which is of a simple and practical construction, vefiicient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install in operative position and otherwise welladapted to the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the special construction, combination and arrangement of the various elements forming the invention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and inwhich:

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a vessel equipped with a pair of the life saving attachments constructedin accordance with my invention, 1

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the vessel showing one of the attachments secured in 'position therein and showing another of the attachments in releasing position,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the compartment for receiving the life saving attachment,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the attachment shown secured in position within the Vessel, and also illustrating the observati'cn tower in outwardly extended position and carried as a part of the life saving attachment, and

. Figure 5 is a horizontal fragmentary sectional view through one of the walls of the life saving attachment.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the invention includes the provision of a boat or vessel indicated generally at and preferably of the submarine type having a deck 6 and a series of vertical transversely extending bulk heads 7 forming a plurality of water tight compartments 8 at the interior of the boat and extending substantially from the deck 6 to the keel 9 thereof. The :ompartments 8 are arranged in spaced apart relation as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings and the section of the boat between such compartments is provided with an intermediate deck 10.

Openings 11 are formed at spaced intervals in the deck 10 affording access to the up- "per and lower portions of the boat. Water tight doors 12 are arranged in each of the bulk heads 7 immediately above the intermediate deck providing means of communication between the compartments 8 and the intervening sections of the boat.

The upper portion of each of the compartments 8 opens upwardly through the deck 6 of the boat, the portion about the edges of said opening being countersunk to form a shoulder 13 for a purpose as will be more fully hereinafter explained. Each of the compartments 8 are pointed adjacent the bow and stern ends of the boat, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings with the bulk head 7 defining the limitations of each compartment extending substantially vertically.

Within each of the compartments is arranged a series of Vertically extending guides .14 inclining inwardly toward the center of the base of the compartment, the upper ends of the guides being disposedadjacent the 100 V edges of the opening. The guides 14 are adapted to engage the outer walls of a liquid tight container 15 tapering inwardly toward itslower end'and having a flange 16 formed about its upper edge adapted to rest upon the shoulder 13 so that the upper surface of the container 15 will rest flush with the deck 6 of the boat.

A gasket 17 is interposed between the flange 16 and the shoulder 13 to form a liquid-tight connection therebetween. The walls of the container 15 are composed of a series of vertically extending compartments 18 adapted alternately to contain a quantity of compressed air and cork 19 to add buoyancy to the container.

Adjacent the forward and rear ends of the.

container 17 is arranged a water tight door 20 adapted to open inwardly and disposed adj acent the doors 12 of the bulk head 7 whereby to provide means for communication between the portions of the boat between the compartments and the interior of the container.

It will be observed from an inspection of Figure 4 of the drawings that the lower portion of the container 17 is spaced from the walls of the compartment and an extension 21 is formed of the sub-deck 10 within the compartment 8 to enable the occupants of the boat to pass through the doors 20 and 12.

At the upper portion of the bulk head 7 is arranged openings 22 adapted to receive bolts 23 extending through the walls of the con tainer and operable for sliding movement into and out of the openings 22 by means of a gear 24 engageable with a rack 25 formed on the bolts and operated through a wheel 26.

The wheel 26 is located within the container so that the bolt 23 may be released from the inside thereof. At the bottom of the container is also arranged a plurality of threaded bolts 27 extending through the bottom thereof and engageable with sockets 28 formed in a sub floor 29 at the bottom of the compartment, said means being operable through the wheel 30 for releasing the screws from said socket.

Within the interior of the container an intermediate deck 31 is arranged therein substantially as a continuation of the intermediate deck 10 dividing the interior of the container into upper and lower sections. A ladder 32 provides communication between said sections through an opening 33.

The container 15 also carries a power plant 34 arranged within the container adapted for operating a propeller 35 extendin outwardly through the Wall thereof, saic? propeller being disposed within a recess 36 formed in the outer wall of the container so that the walls will protect, the propeller from contact with any object.

A rudder 37 is also associated with respect to said propeller. An opening is formed in the top of the container, substantially at the center thereof within which is arranged a tower 38 for telescoping movement.

The edge of the opening is recessed as.

shown at 39 adapted to receive the flange 40 at the top of the tower so that the same will rest substantially flush with the top surface of the boat. Packing material 41 is arranged about the opening at the inside of the container to form a liquid tight seal between the tower and the edges of the opening.

The tower 38 is of a substantially cylindrical formation and is provided with upper and lower doors 42 and 43 respectively. A ladder 44 is arranged in the tower enabling the occupants to travel upwardly therethrough. Adjacent the top portion of the tower is provided a series of windows 45.

To the bottom portion of the tower is attached a cable 46 extending about a pulley wheel 47 supported within the container and extending downwardly to the bottom portion thereof with its opposite end attached to a drum 48.

Through the operation of this drum and cable the extent of movement of the tower outwardly through the top of the container is thus controlled. A water pipe 49 extends through the upper corner of the contalner having one end opening outwardly above the top thereof and its opposite end opening between the walls of the container and the bulkhead through the interior of the compartment 8.

A control 50 is interposed in said pipe. It will thus be apparent that upon releasing the bolt 23 and the screws 27 that the container may be released from the compartment 8 and by admitting the water through the pipe 49 into the compartment about the walls and base of the container the same will be forced from the boat.

The cable 51 extendsthrough the bottom of the container and arranged to the sub floor 29 with the opposite end of the cable extended about a drum 51 so that the container after being released from the boat may still be attached thereto by means of the cable 52. On top of the container 15 may be mounted any suitable audible or, visible signalling device as shown at 52.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that should the boat 5 sink for any reason, the container 15 may be released therefrom and rise to the surface of the water with the occupants therein.. After reaching the surface of the water the tower 38 may be raised upwardly above the upper surface of the container so that an observer may ascend therein and determine the location of the container on the surface of the water. Also the occupants of the container may lead the same through the doors 42 and 43 of the tower. It will also be apparent that during the ordinary use of the boat that the container 15 may be utilized as one of the rooms or comboat releasably arranged in the well and having its sides tapering toward its bottom portion, the top of said releasable boat forming a closure for the well, decks within the main boat and releasable boat intermediate their top and bottom portions and disposed at a horizontal plane, a deck section secured to the innerwall of the well with one edge terminating at the tapered side of the releasable boat and doors for the sides of the well and the sides of the releasable boat disposed immediately above said deck.

2. A main boat, a liquid tight well formed therein having vertical side walls, an enclosed boat releasably arranged in the well and having its sides tapering toward its bottom portion, the top of said releasable bolt forming a closure for the well, vertical guide strips secured within the well closely fitting against the outer sides of the releasable boat whereby to secure the same against lateral movement, decks within the main boat and releasable boat intermediate their top and bottom portions and disposed at a horizontal plane, a

deck section secured to the inner walls of the well with one edge terminating at the tapered sides of the releasable boat and doors for the sides of the well and the sides of the releasable boat disposed immediately above said desk.

3. A main boat, a liquid tight well formed therein having vertical side walls, an enclosed boat releasably arranged in the well and having its sides tapering toward its bottom portion, the top of said releasable boat forming a closure for the well, vertical guide strips secured within the well closely fitting against the outer sides of the released boat whereby to secure the same against lateral movement, decks within the main boat and releasable boat intermediate their top and bottom portions and disposed at Ya horizontal plane, a deck section secured to the inner walls of the well with one edge terminating at the tapered sides of the releasable boat and doors for the sides of the well and the sides of the releasable boat disposed immediately above said deck, means for releasably securing the releasable boat within the well and operable from within said relesable boat and an enclosed tower mounted for telescoping movement through the top of the releasable boat having doors in its top and bottom sections and means operable witnin the releasable boat for moving the door outwardly.

4. A main boat, a liquid tight well formed therein having vertical side walls, an enclosed boat releasably arranged in the well and having its sides tapering toward its bottom portion, the top of said releasable boat forming a closure for the well, decks within the main boat and releasable boat intermediate their top and bottom portions and disposed at a horizontal plane, a deck section secured to the inner wall of the well with one edge terminating at the tapered side of the releasable boat and doors for the sides of the well and the sides of the releasable boat disposed immediately above said deck, and means contained within said releasable boat for propellin the same after being released from the main boat.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DUANE SHERMAN. 

